MLA Citation Style, 6th ed. (2003)


Any information in the Basic Instructions in red font face is included to assist in the understanding of the style and should not be included in your Citations.

For additional citation assistance, please visit the online version of
The Bedford Handbook

 
Database Item Online Book Web Site CD-ROM Article
Online newspaper E-Newspaper Online Periodical Online Encyclopedia
ERIC Document Discussion List Message Email Message HELP! (contact a librarian)

 

In the following examples, the titles of the journals are in italics as an underline in an electronic document generally represents a hyperlink. In a print document, you should underline the title of periodicals and books.

 
 
Database Item
This format refers to all items that have been retrieved using a database.
Basic Instructions: Author(s). "Item Title." Journal Title volume number.
        issue number (if present) (Date): Page number
        range or total number of pages.  Database name.
        Database Vendor. Subscriber Name, place.
        [Access date] <Site/Path/File>.
Example:
Beard, Lawrence A, and Cynthia Harper.
     “Student Perceptions of Online Versus
     On Campus Instruction." Education 122.5
     (2002): 658-63. Periodical Abstracts
     Research II. Proquest Company. Pace
     University Library, Pleasantville,
     NY. 15 July 2003
     <http://proquest.umi.com>.
Online Book
Basic Instructions: Author(s)/editor. Title (edition). Place of publication:
         Producer or publisher info, date. [Access date]
        <Site/Path/File>.
Example:
Holland, Norman H. The Critical I. New York:
     Columbia UP, 1992. 24 Feb 2000      <http://web.clas.ufl.edu/users/
     nnh/criti.htm>.
Web Site  
Basic Instructions: Title of the site. Editor. Date. Producer, sponsoring
        institution or organization. [Access date]
       <Site/Path/File>.
Example: de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection
     Ed. Dee Jones. 26 July 1999. U of
     Southern Mississippi. 24 Feb. 2000
     <http://avatar.lib/usm.edu/~degrum/>.
CD-ROM Article
Basic Instructions: Author(s). Title of Publication. Name of the editor,
        compiler, or translator (if relevant). Publication
        medium (CD-ROM, Diskette, or Magnetic Tape).
        Edition, release, or version. Place of
        Publication. Name of Publisher, Date of
        Publication.
Example: The Late Riots-A Mountain Reduced to a
     Molehill. CD-ROM. 1994 ed. Folio
     Corporation, 1990.
Online newspaper
This entry is for an online version of a newspaper that is also in print.
Basic Instructions: Author(s). "Article Title." Newspaper Title Volume.issue
          (if present) [Date Created]. pages or number
          of paragraphs. (if present) [Access date]
         <Site/Path/File>.
Example:
McAteer, M.J. “Animal Benefits from
      Alternative Medicine.” Washington Post
      Online 17 May 1999. 24 Feb. 2000
      <http://washingtonpost.com/.
E-Newspaper
Basic Instructions: Author(s). "Article Title." Name of Newspaper Volume
         number.Issue number (if present) Date of
         Publication: pages or number of paragraphs. (if
         present) [Date of access]
         <http://Site/Path/File>.
Example:
"Hope Recedes for Survivors." The Hindu 1
      February 2001. 1 February 2001
      <http://www.the-hindu.com>
Online Periodical Use this format if the periodical is only published online.
Basic Instructions: Author(s). "Title of work or material." Name of
         Periodical Date of Publication. Volume number.
         Issue number (if present). The range or total
         number of pages. [Date of access]
         <http://Site/Path/File>.
Example: Williams, Buzz. "General Wade Hampton III:
      Noble Summer Resident." Way South: A
      Journal of Southern Thought. 1 February
      2001 <http://www.waysouth.com>.
Online Encyclopedia
Basic Instructions: Author(s). "Article Title." Name of Periodical. Version
         (if present). Date Published. [Access Date]
         <http://Site/Path/File>.
Example: "Alvin Ailey, Jr." Encyclopedia Britannica. 2
     February 2001
     <http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/
     article/printable/4/0,5722,5234,00.html>
ERIC Documents
Basic Instructions: Author(s). "Title." Date Published. Range of Pages (if
         available). Name of Database. Name of Service
         (if available). Subscriber Name, place. [Access
         date] <Site/Path/File>.
Example: Buzard, Barbara et al. "Motivating the
      Reluctant Reader" May 2002. E*Subscribe.
      Pace University Library,
      Pleasantville, NY. 15 July 2003
      <http://www.edrs.com/>
Discussion List Message
Basic Instructions: Author(s). "Subject of message." Online Posting. (Year,
        month day). Discussion List Name. Access date
       <Listname@e-mail address>.
Example:

Raish, Martin. “Re: Surveying Users Before
     Building Web Tutorial.” Online Posting.
     24 Feb. 2000. BI-L. 3 Mar. 2000 <bi-
     l@listserv.byu.edu>.
Email Message
Basic Instructions: Sender. "Subject of Message." E-mail to recipient.
         Access Date.
Example: Albrecht, Rebecca. “Mea Culpa: Citing
      Information.” E-mail to the author. 24
      Feb. 2000.
HELP! MLA entries compiled and researched by Karen DeSantis, Pace University.
If you would like to provide feedback, please contact us.

  Updated 4/13/05 KD